Tracking mechanism for music sheets



Jan. 5 1926.

T. DANQUARD TRACKING MECHANISM FOR MUSIC SHEETS 2 Shea ts-Shaat 1 33 30nfl l l a 1 lllrwl m m w w Original Filed NOV. 4, 1921 Jan. 5 1926.

T. DANQUARD TRACKING MECHANISM FOR MUSIC SHEETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Original Filed NOV. 4, 1921 MN M Patented Jan. 5, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS DANQUARD, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AUTO PNEUMATICACTION COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TRACKING MECHANISM FOR MUSIC SHEETS.

Original application filed November 4, 1921, Serial No. 512,886.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS DAN UARD. a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented a new and useful Tracking Mechanism for Music Sheets, of whichthe following is a specification.

This application is a division of the application for patent filed by meNovember 4, 1921, Serial No. 512,886 on a tracking mechanism for musicsheets.

The object of this invention is to improve the operation of theautomatic tracking mechanism employed in automatically operated musicalinstruments for keeping the perforated music sheet in proper lateralposition on the apertured tracker bar, par ticularly when the musicsheet is being rewound on the music spoolv Automatic tracking mechanismsare now extensively employed but difficulty is encountered when usingsuch. devices in rewinding the music sheet on the music spool, becausesuch rewinding usually takes place at such high speed that the automatictracking mechanism does not have time to operate properly.

To overcome this difficulty, I have provided a locking mechanism whichholds the automatic tracking mechanism out of operation during rewindingwhich mechanism is also arranged so as to center the music spool orbring the same to an intermediate position and lock the same in suchposition during rewinding.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying-two sheets of drawings,in which Fig. l is a front elevation partly in diagram illustrating theapplication of my invention to a well known form of automatic trackingmechanism;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the pneumatics employed in such tracking mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional elevation on the line 4l-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan of the shut-off valve;

Fig. 6 is a plan of the shut-off valve seat; and

Divided and this application filed July Serial No. 653,686.

Flg. 7 is a cross-sectional elevation on the line 77 of Fig. 5.

The invention will be best understood by a detailed description.

Referring to the drawings and in detail,

A designates the apertured tracker bar over which the perforated musicsheet B is drawn from the music spool C by a take-up roll D, these partsbeing arranged in the usual spool box E. A gear 10 is mounted on thetake-up roll or theshaft thereof and is engaged by a driving pinion 11secured on the end of a shaft 12 which can slide in its bearings in thespool box and in a framework 13 secured to the side of the spool box. Apinion 14: is mounted on the end of this shaft and is driven by a chain15 carried around the pinion 16 of the motor. A clutch 17 is mounted onthe shaft 12. A gear 18 is loosely fitted on the shaft 12 and journalledin the frame 13 and the same carries a clutch or pin 19 which the clutch17 can engage. A chain 20 is carried around said gear 18 and a pinion 21on the shaft of the right hand music spool clutch or bearing. A shifterlever 22 is pivoted on the frame and engages the clutch 17. This shifterlever is connected by a link 23, armed shaft 24, link 25, pivot-ed lever26, link 27 to the reroll lever 28 pivoted in the usual manner,generally in the key bed of the instrument. This reroll lever connectsby a link 29, lever 30 and link 31 to the motor governor and also bylink 32 to a valve 33 arranged in a valve box 34 which valve is used toconnect the player action to the exhaust.

hen the reroll lever is in the position shown in the drawings, theaction will be connected to the suction or exhaust, and the motor willbe operated at a governed speed to rotate the take-up roll D to draw themusic sheet forward over the tracker. hen the reroll lever is shifted tothe left the music spool will be rotated from the mot-or at a high speedas the motor gover nor is cut out and direct connection is made theretoand at the same time the pneumatic action will be cut out of operationby the valve This will cause the to operate together by a bar 87,extending from which is a link 38 which is attached to a pivoted bellcrank lever 39, which is connected by a link 10 to a. cam 41 mounted onashaft 4-2. This cam 41 engages'the end of the right hand music spoolclutch or bearing 13. The left hand music spool clutch or bearing 4-4 isengaged by a spring 45 which normally tends to force the music spool tothe right. The tracker bar is provided with two outer guide openu'igs46-+46 and with two inner guide openings 47-47, the same being connectedby pipes or tubes e1604-.($0 and 470 470 to the valve box F of thetracking mechanism. There are two valve mechanisms arranged in said box,one for each shifting pneumatic, the right hand one being illustrated indetail. The tube 460 for this valve mechanism is connected by passagesunder a diaphragm valve 48 and the tube 470 for this valve mechanism isconnected by passages to the top of adiaphragm 49 connected to operatethe diaphragm valve LS. A passage with a bleed 50 extends from under thediaphragm valve 618 under a diaphragm 51 which controls a double valve52. An exhaust or suction passage is connected by a pipe 54: to thesuction or exhaust. hen all of the guide openings in the tracker bar areclosed by the music sheet the diaphragm valves 48t8 will remain down andthe doublevalves 52 willalso remain down and the suction or. exhaustwill be connected with both tracker pneumatics 35-36 and as they areopposed they will be locked in central or intermediate position. \Vhenthe music sheet wanders from one side far enough to uncover one of theguide openings l6, air will be admitted under the diaphragm valve 48-and then under the diaphragm 51 lifting a double valve 52 andconnectingthe shifter pneumatic controlled thereby to the atmosphere.This will allow the shifter pneumatics to operate just the rightdistance to shift the music sheet automatically laterally on the trackerbar just the proper distance to insure correct registration during theforward travel. This operation will take place with an expanded or wide,music sheet.

If, a narrower music sheet is employed, when the same is in normalposition the guide openings 46% will both be uncovered lifting bothvalves 52 and connecting both shifter pneumatics to the atmosnheie Ifsuch music sheet should wander laterally one inner guide opening will beuncovered which will let air down on a diaphragm 45), will close thediaphragm valve -18 and will. allow the double valve 52 controlledthereby to drop, thus connecting the proper shifter pneumatic to thesuction so that the shifter pneumatics will operate to make just theright adjustment to keep the music sheet in proper registration.

This mechanism is of a well known type and works substantially on theplan shown by the patent granted in my name No. 1,187,975, June 20,1916. \Vhile this well known form of automatic tracking mechanism isillustrated, it is to be understood that my improvements hereinafterdescribed can be applied to and used in combination with many otherforms of automatic tracking mechanir'ems.

To provide for the centralizing and locking functions previouslydescribed for use in connection with any suitable automatic trackil'igmechanism the follmving devices are provided.

It will be seen that the pipes 4(SO4(50 and 4TO- 170 are connected to arotary valve which is arranged on a seat 61 fastened on top of the valvebox F. This valve seat 61 has holes extending down into the valve box sothat when the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 7 the pipes 4L60460and 470-4170 will be connected to the *alve box F in the proper manner.The valve is held on said valve stem by a screw and a spring 63. Thevalve is provided with an arm 6% which is connected to some suitablepoint in the linkwork controlled by the reroll lever such as, forexample links (340, lever 641, shaft 642, lever 643, link 64% asindicated in Fig. 1. Stops 65 65 may be arranged to be engaged by an arm66 extending from the valve. These parts are arranged so that when themusic sheet is being drawn forward for playing, the pipes 460460 and470-470 are properly connected to the valve box F but so that when thereroll lever is shifted for rewinding all the connection between thepipes 460-460 and 470470 is cut off. This is the same action as if allthe guide openings in the tracker bar were closed by the music sheet.The diaphragm valves 428-48 will remain down and the double valves(SQ-52 will also remain down and the suction or exhaust will beconnected with both tracker pneumatics 3536 as they are opposed. Whenthe exhaust or suction is on both pneumatics as thus described, if onepneumatic is open more than the other the flexible leaf or fold at thebottom of such pneumatic will have a larger area than the flexible leafor fold in the other pneumatic. Hence the suction on the more extendedfold or leaf w'll act on the pneumatics and will cause them to assume anintermediate or practically central position and will lock them in suchposition. Thus, when the rewinding takes place the music sheet will beaccurately drawn or wound on the music spool.

The details and arrangements herein shown and described may be greatlyvaried by a skilled mechanic without departing from the scope of myinvention as expressed in the claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. The combination of an apertured tracker bar, meansfor drawing a perforated music sheet from the music spool over thetracker bar for playing, means for rotating the music spool forrewinding, an au tomatic tracking mechanism for maintaining the musicsheet in proper lateral position on the tracker while tracking forwardconsisting of two opposed shifter pneumatics, valves for controlling thesame, guide openings controlled by the music sheet, connectionstherefrom to said valves, and means for closing the communicationbetween the guide openings and the valves during the rewinding action.

2. The combination of an apertured tracker bar, means for drawing aperforated music sheet from the music spool forward over the tracker barfor playing or for rotating the music spool for rewinding,

mechanism for causing this means to operate either way, an automatictracker mechanism for maintaining the music sheet in proper lateralposition while traveling forward consisting of two opposed shifterpneumatics, the valves for controlling the same, guide openingscontrolled by the music sheet, connections therefrom to said valves, andvalve mechanism for opening and closing communication between said guideopenings and valves operated by the mechanism which controls the actionof the music sheet forwarding or rewinding means.

3. The combination expressed in the above claim 2, the valve mechanismconsisting of a rotary valve to which the connections from the guideopenings are attached.

4. The combination expressed in the above claim 2, the valve mechanismconsisting of a valve seat having openings to control said valves, and arotary valve on said valve seat having passage to which the connectionsfrom the guide openings are at tached, said valve being movable tooperative and inoperative positions and said passages being aligned withsaid seat openings in the operative position of said valve and beingclosed by the valve seat in the inoperative position of said valve.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature.

THOMAS DANQUARD.

